Most currently available absorbent products such as baby diapers, feminine hygiene products and adult incontinence pads have an absorbent layer adjacent to a liquid permeable top sheet referred to as cover stock. The cover stock holds the absorbent core in place and also acts as a one-way barrier that permits the flow of body fluid into the absorbent core, but inhibits its flow back towards the skin.
The time required for liquid to penetrate through the cover stock is called the strike-through time. When strike-through is long, body fluids spread over the cover stock and reach the edges of the product quickly. In this situation, more of the wearer's skin is exposed to the fluid and the fluid is more likely to leak from the absorbent product. Shorter strike-through times are likely to result in a product with less leakage and a softer, drier feel to the wearer.
Rewet is the amount of fluid that flows from the absorbent core back through the cover stock to the wearer's skin, particularly upon application of pressure. Users of products having improved rewet are less likely to experience skin irritation or bed sores.
An absorbent product with a shorter strike-through time and less rewet than currently available products would be desirable.